MIAMI — Seattle had the Beast Quake, and now Kansas City can claim the Mahomes Monsoon.
Kansas City sent so many fireworks into the sky when the Chiefs were on their way to winning Super Bowl LIV that the pyrotechnics simulated a storm. The National Weather Service tweeted radar images captured when the NFL franchise won its first Super Bowl in 50 years. Thousands of bright green pinpricks lit the otherwise black images.
For the Chiefs themselves, the party raged through the night.
At the traditional Super Bowl most-valuable-player news conference Monday, Kansas City coach Andy Reid wore a Hawaiian shirt and a wry smile. He didn’t do what some winning coaches and players had done in years past, taking the Lombardi Trophy back to their hotel room.
“I didn’t really sleep last night,†he said, “but I didn’t spend it with the trophy …â€
He quickly caught himself.
“Well, I did. I spent it with my trophy wife, how’s that?†he said, drawing laughter and applause from the bleary-eyed media, NFL personnel and guests assembled in a ballroom of the league hotel. Then, a peek at the team’s postgame party. “I listened to Pitbull is what I did. He was unbelievable. He’s got great endurance, man, I’ll tell ya.â€
The true entertainer Sunday night was Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, named Super Bowl MVP even though his performance was far from flawless. He had the steady hand down the stretch to lead the Chiefs to victory, orchestrating the team’s third consecutive postseason comeback.
In the AFC divisional round against Houston, the Chiefs rallied from a 24-0 deficit against the Houston Texans. Then, in the conference championship game against Tennessee, Kansas City dug its way out of a 10-point hole. And again, on the biggest stage against San Francisco, the Chiefs fell behind by 10 before outscoring the 49ers, 21-0, in the final 6:13.
“We have explosive players,†Reid said. “We’ve got guys that trust each other, that’s the biggest thing. Where you’re down by 24 points and you don’t collapse as a team, mentally. They keep firing. And then the defense rallies. Then special teams rally. Somewhere along the line, each group has had that opportunity to change a game …
“With Pat and the receivers, his guys, you know that you’re never out of it.â€
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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi celebrates the team’s 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Feb. 2, 2020. (Getty Images)
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Demi Lovato performs the national anthem before Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle (85) runs against Kansas City Chiefs’ Daniel Sorensen (49) and Charvarius Ward during the first half. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and teammates stand during the national anthem before Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers’ Mitch Wishnowsky kicks off against the Kansas City Chiefs to start Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams carries the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs fans cheer during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers’ DeForest Buckner (99) and Earl Mitchell sack Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the first half. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward, right, knocks the ball from the hands of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the first half. (Associated Press)
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A tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven others who died with them in a helicopter crash is shown on a screen at Hard Rock Stadium before Super Bowl LIV. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/ AFP via Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after scoring a touchdown the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk scores a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers defensive back Emmanuel Moseley, left, tackles Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins during the first half. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) celebrates his touchdown the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter. (Associated Press)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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Shakira, left, and Jennifer Lopez perform during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Shakira, left, and Jennifer Lopez perform during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Shakira perfroms during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Getty Images)
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Jennifer Lopez performs during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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Jennifer Lopez performs during the Super Bowl LIV halftime show at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert, left, celebrates his touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half of the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes runs the football during the second half of a 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne tries to fend off against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel runs between Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs Bashaud Breeland (21) and Daniel Sorensen during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams scores a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, top, is chased by San Francisco 49ers defenders K’Waun Williams (24), Dre Greenlaw (57), and Fred Warner (54) during the second half of Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams gives a stiff arm to San Francisco 49ers cornerback Jimmie Ward during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV. ( Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs running back Damien Williams celebrates after scoring on a 38-yard touchdown run in the final minutes of Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kendall Fuller celebrates his interception in the final minute against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates with teammates after defeating San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020. Mahomes was named the Super Bowl’s most valuable player. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after the team’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. Mahomes was named the game’s MVP. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Khalen Saunders reacts after the team’s Super Bowl LIV victory over the San Francisco 49ers. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the team’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs owner and CEO Clark Hunt raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the team’s 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, left, and teammate Tyrann Mathieu celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. (Associated Press)
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Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV. (Getty Images)
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The Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Demarcus Robinson celebrates the team’s Super Bowl LIV win over the San Francisco 49ers. (Getty Images)
Said Mahomes, who at 24 years and 138 days is the youngest quarterback to be named Super Bowl MVP: “We’ve built a brotherhood with this team, I think that’s the biggest thing. You can see it in how we play, and how we support each other.â€
That extends beyond the team. At least three teammates from his high school in Whitehouse, Texas, attended the Super Bowl, as did Adam Cook, his former coach at Whitehouse High. Last week, after a reporter informed Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury that Cook did not have a ticket to the game, he bought one for Cook. Kingsbury recruited Mahomes out of Whitehouse and coached him at Texas Tech.
“I’ve been blessed, from high school with coach Cook letting me be who I am, letting me scramble around and throw the ball, do what I do,†Mahomes said. “And then going to Texas Tech and coach Kingsbury same way. Obviously working on the fundamentals and everything like that, but still letting me be who I am.
“Now with coach Reid, knowing the right time to kind of rein me in, but [at] the same time letting me be who I am. I think that having all those coaches that supported me and let me be who I am has helped me get to where I’m at today.â€
Cook, who attended the morning news conference with his wife, Julie, downplayed his role in the development of the star quarterback.
“People say, ‘Man, you did a good job. You helped him get here,’ †Cook said. “I say, ‘Nah, I didn’t do any of that. I just got to stand on the sideline and watch him do this stuff a little bit earlier than y’all did. I’ve been watching this for a while.’ â€
